Chapter 354: Four Nodes

After a brief thought, Heimu replied to A Xing:

【Temporarily avoid hostility. Make contact, observe, ascertain their purpose and stance. Stay vigilant, prioritize protecting San Yue Qi. Synchronize information.】

After the message was sent, she waited a few seconds and received a shorter reply from A Xing:

A Xing: 【... Yes.】

Heimu looked at the meaning‑laden ellipsis and raised an eyebrow.

Could A Xing be feeling a hint of regret about "being unable to act immediately to eliminate the threat"?

Hmm, given A Xing's way of operating, that's indeed possible.

She shook her head and shifted her attention to a more core issue.

"System, has the analysis of the cocoon at Liu Dong Si come out? Is direct destruction feasible?"

【System】: Analysis complete.

Target "Huan Long Cocoon" possesses extremely strong regenerative ability.

Its energy source is deeply bound to the Illusion Realm network that blankets Dongmu City.

Simply destroying the shell would be swiftly repaired by the Illusion Realm network siphoning energy, with efficiency estimated below 3%.

The energy‑supply Nodes must be severed.

"Node? How many? Where?"

【System】: Detected four major mana concentrations, each located in a different district of Dongmu City.

It is presumed that Huan Long set them up while constructing the Illusion Realm, using the Holy Grail system combined with ley lines.

Destroying the four Nodes would greatly weaken, even cut off, the Illusion Realm's supply to the cocoon, rendering it vulnerable.

The Light Screen unfolded before Heimu, displaying a simplified map of Dongmu City, with four conspicuous red dots flashing at different locations.

Heimu glanced at it, fingers lightly tapping the sofa armrest.

"Four Nodes… require manpower."

She murmured thoughtfully.

Manpower is clearly insufficient.

"It seems we must issue a formal Task to Your Highness."

Heimu's mouth twitched slightly, a glint flashing in her eyes, "Send it under the organizer's name."

【System】: Command confirmed.

Simulating the cross‑realm Challenge Tournament organizer's communication format, generating Task brief…

Yuan Cang Shan·Liu Dong Si Ruins

"Ha—!"

Gui Naifen spun and leapt into the air, the Flame Spear tracing a scorching semicircle that simultaneously blasted seven or eight snarling flying insects swooping in from the side!

Flame fragments and insect carcass shards scattered, landing on the charred ground with a sizzle.

She landed, a knee slightly bent to absorb impact, then surged forward without pause!

The spear, like a dragon, drove straight into the metallic‑shining carapace of the giant insect's maw ahead!

"Clang—!"

The spear tip collided with the insect's jaws, emitting a resonant clang of metal.

The giant insect howled in pain, its massive body tilting backward.

Gui Naifen used the recoil to flip backward, landing lightly; the spear tip angled toward the ground, her chest rising slightly, yet her amber eyes grew brighter, faintly tinged with a flowing golden glow.

She felt… power coursing through her whole body!

It was a relentless, burgeoning force as if surging from the depths of her bloodline.

With each thrust of the spear, each step, her body seemed a fraction lighter, the resonance with the Flame Spear deepening.

Even without her noticing, the scorching air around her warped, faint Dragon Shadows flickering in tandem with her spear movements, emitting a low, droning dragon chant.

Ailisi Feier crouched behind a relatively intact broken wall, using simple Magic to conceal her presence, her eyes fixed on the crimson figure weaving across the battlefield's center and the increasingly distinct dragon‑shaped illusion beside her; her expression had shifted from initial shock to a near‑numb complexity.

(Gwenivere Your Highness… that golden light on you, that Dragon Shadow…)

(Isn't this literally the art style of some Eastern Dragon King?)

(It's impressive, even… very festive… but what does it have to do with Camelot's king and queen?!)

Ailisi Feier felt her common sense and historical Cognition being ground repeatedly against the ground.

She even began to doubt whether the Heroic Spirit Seat also had absurd settings like "character skins" or "cross‑realm collaborations"…

What furrowed her brow more was that, despite Gui Naifen's unparalleled ferocity and rapid clearing of the insect swarm, the battlefield's core—the silently standing massive pink‑purple cocoon—remained utterly still.

Whether the aftershock of Gui Naifen's attacks or the energy released when insects died, the cocoon seemed to silently absorb them all.

Its surface glow even appeared more concentrated than before.

(If this continues, Lancer will be drained. This cocoon's regenerative power is too bizarre.)

Just as Ailisi Feier anxiously contemplated a plan, Gui Naifen at the battlefield's center leapt backward sharply, temporarily breaking free from the insect swarm's entanglement.

She shook her slightly numb arms, her brows furrowing.

"Why is this damned egg so hard? Hitting insects almost made me vomit, and it's still fine?" she muttered, irritated.

At that moment—

【Ding! Dear contestant Gwenivere, attention!】

A mechanically tinged alert sounded suddenly in her mind.

Simultaneously, a translucent Task panel swooshed open on the left side of her vision, emitting a faint blue glow.

【Detected main Task Illusion Realm core entering stalemate phase.】

【Branch Task triggered: Node Purification】

【Task Objective: The Illusion Realm of Dongmu City is supported by four key Nodes. Please go to the following locations and purify the Node cores.】

【Node coordinates have been marked.】

【Task Reward: Each purified Node will significantly weaken Huan Long's cocoon defense and regeneration, and unlock suppression of the Illusion Realm in the corresponding area. The final reward will be calculated based on task completion and contribution.】

【Attachment: Simple map of Node locations and description of energy characteristics.】

Gui Naifen: 「……Eh? 」

She blinked, confirming this wasn't an illusion.

The panel clearly displayed four flickering light points, labeled respectively 「Suiqun Yuan Academy」, 「Dongmu City Civic Hall」, 「Winterwood Grand Bridge」, 「Yuan Cang Shan underground leyline convergence point」.

Next to it were simple icons and text explaining each Node's possible guards or anomalous phenomena.

(So that's it! There's a task hint! I told you, there's no unbreakable barrier, it's just the method that's wrong!)

She perked up, immediately turned and shouted toward Ailisi Feier's hiding direction, 「Master! There's a way! Follow me! 」

She, in three swift moves, unleashed a more intense Flame burst that temporarily cleared the surrounding insects, quickly retreated to Ailisi Feier's side, and briefly recapped the task panel information from her mind.

Ailisi Feier listened, and although she found this overly modern task panel hint a bit odd, the content itself was reasonable.

Destroying supporting Nodes to weaken the core is a common approach in the Magic domain.

「Four Nodes… we are only two, and we need to strike quickly to prevent energy complement between Nodes. 」

Ailisi Feier analyzed quickly, 「Lancer, what do you mean? 」

「Head to the nearest one first! 」

Gui Naifen said without hesitation, 「Master, will you come with me, or…? 」

Ailisi Feier glanced at the distant reassembling Insect Swarm and the ominous giant cocoon, then decisively said, 「I'll go with you. Staying here is more dangerous, and… perhaps at other Nodes we might encounter other Awakened or clues. 」

「Alright! Then let's set off! 」

The two ceased lingering in battle; Gui Naifen forged ahead, and Ailisi Feier followed closely.